Title : Photochemistry of Methane at 3 K

Abstract

We have subjected pure solid methane and methane dispersed in solidneon, all at 3 K, to irradiation from a synchrotron in the wave lengthrange 120 - 165 nm, and recorded the infrared spectrum of the productsas a function of wave length of irradiation, molar fraction of methanein neon and cumulative duration of photolysis. Some thirty productsare identified, including such free radicals as CHn, 1 <= n <= 5, andcarbon chains up to C20. The mechanism of the reactions is discussed.